Cigarette supporter and snuffer



I ,Mal'ch 1943-- BI. BOWLES 2,312,870 I CIGARETTE SUPPORTER AND SNUFFER Filed ma 22, 1941 37 0 KER-Divas.

Patented Mar. 2, 1943 UNlTED STATES. ATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE SUIBORTER AND SNUFFER Byron E. Bowles, Des'Moines, Iowa Application May-2 2, 1941, Serial No. 394,723

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the general class of cigarette supporters and snuffers, and has particular reference to the provision of a smokers appliance which will support a lighted cigarette in an effective manner and provide for confining an accumulation of ashes within the holder.

This application is a continuation in part of my prior application filed August 21, 1939, Serial No. 291,279, allowed March 12, 1941, and subsequently abandoned.

My present invention contemplates certain improvements in a device of this general character whereby its utility is increased in respect to convenience in handling as well as in the means for supporting a cigarette on the article and at an inclination in an opening through which the cigarette is passed in the operation of extinguishing or snufiing the lighted end thereof against the ash tray or other support on which the body portion is placed.

My invention also contemplates embossing the bottom of the tray to present a slightly raised portion at the center thereof, corresponding with the internal configuration oi the hollow body portion of the device, to prevent accidental shifting of the body on the tray in moving the assembled parts of the cigarette supporter and snuifer from one place to another.

With these main objects in view my present invention embodies improvements in the construction of the body portion to provide adequate means for supporting and snufiing a cigarette, and in the formation of ash tray adapted to be used in association therewith, as hereinafter fully described and more specifically set forth in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective View of one form of device constructed in accordance with my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a modification thereof.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are side, sectional and top views, respectively, illustrating a modification of that part of the device which provides for supporting a cigarette and snufiing it against the tray, and

Fig. 7 shows a further modification in the configuration of the cigarette supporting and snufiing device.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the body portion I is cylindrical in shape with bulged sides, and in this instance the top-having the central opening H--is depressed transversely to form recesses 12 at opposite sides of the opening in, which the cigarette is temporarily suppOrted and to more securely support the cigarette-in the recess there are upward projections I 3 at opposite sides of said recesses. The transverse depression forming the recesses to receive the cigarette is preferably formed so that that portion ofthe bottom thereof immediately surroundingthe opening through which the cigarette is passed in snufling the same is curved downward for guiding the lighted end of the cigarette into the opening and chamber of the device, and at opposite sides of the center opening the bottoms of the recesses present curved surfaces on which the cigarette bears when placed on the holder. The device described may be placed on a table or other support having a surface against which the lighted end of the cigarette may be brought in snufling the same, as for instance a table top of glass, marble, or other material not likely to be marred by contact of the lighted end of the cigarette therewith, but in order to collect the ashes in a receptacle for conveniently disposing of the same I provide an ash tray, M, to receive the ashes. Although an ash tray with a plain bottom may be used, I prefer to employ that form of ash tray shown in Fig. 2, wherein the bottom is provided centrally with a raised portion 15 corresponding with the internal configuration of the lower end of the hollow body portion to fit therein and hold the body portion against sliding within the tray. It is desirable that the body portion fit loosely over the embossed portion of the tray so that it may be readily removed in discharging the ashes, the main purpose of the boss being to position said body portion centrally within the tray.

In the use of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a cigarette, either intact or partly consumed, may be supported in the depression or recesses at the upper end of the body portion and when consumed to a more or less extent supported at an angle within the opening so that the ignited end will be confined within the hollow body portion and the burning of the cigarette retarded. In removing the cigarette from the recess it is gripped at either side of the central projections [3, but in order to provide for gripping the cigarette at the center thereof the top' may be formed as shown in Fig. 3, in which the projections are dispensed with and oppositerecesses or depressions l6 are provided at right angles to the recesses l2 sloping downward to the center opening so that the cigarette may be gripped by the finger and thumb of the smoker, in addition to providing for disposing the burning cigarette at an angle as shown in Fig. 2. The snufling of the lighted cigarette is accomplished by passing it through the opening I I and pressing the lighted end against the ash tray, in this instance against the raised portion thereof.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 I have shown a difierent configuration of body portion that may be adopted and yet retain the essential features of the present invention, in this instance the hollow body portion, l1, being of rectangular form with straight sides and the top shaped to provide transverse recesses or depressions l8 and I9 at right angles to each other and crossing each other at the center where opening 29 is located, including the feature of sloping the inner ends of the recesses downward at the edges of the opening. The recesses provide for supporting a cigarette on top of the device, and at an inclination in the hole which;

device it may be constructed as illustrated in Fig. 7, that is, octagonal, and in this instance also the top is provided with a central opening 2| and recesses or depressions 22 and 23 extending across the same at right angles to each other, for supporting a cigarette and for snufling the lighted end of the same. It will be obvious therefore that various modifications or changes may be made in the configuration of the device without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A device for supporting and snuffing lighted cigarettes and usable in association with an-ash tray, said device comprising a tubular body open at its lower end for the accumulation of the cigarette ashes, an annular wall projecting inwardly'from the tubular body and having a central opening of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of a cigarette, the wall being depressed around the opening for supporting a burning cigarette at an inclination with a substantial part of the lighted end thereof within the device, and recesses formed in the top wall at opposite sides of the opening for supporting a cigarette horizontally on top of the device.

BYRON E. BOWLES. 

